HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — It's a rite of passage Brian Silvea is finally getting to experience: Living on his own for the first time.
July marks one year since Silvea moved into his own one bed, one bath apartment in Maple Lawn.
"It's just a really nice place. The people look out for me," Silvea said.
The 38-year-old has cerebral palsey and a seizure disorder.
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At just 9 1/2 years old, he had a surgical procedure called a Hemispherectomy, which removes half of the brain, as a treatment for his seizures. It was performed by then-director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Ben Carson.
It's been years-long process for the Silveas.
“A lot of moving parts and and people involved in making it possible to even get here," his father, Duke, said.
"I never thought that I would get to this point," his mother, Kelly, added.
Silvea had been living in a group home previously, which gave him some invaluable skills, but wasn't ideal in the long run.
"I had one roommate. He's been there the longest. He thought he was in charge, and that's the reason why it was stressful," he said.
But in his new spot, Silvea's the one who gets to be in charge. He runs a tight ship, keeping up with the cleaning and laundry while working four days a week at the neighborhood Harris Teeter.
Brian has made his apartment uniquely his, with his love for Baltimore sports and playing in them, on full display.
His parents say since moving in last year there's been a noticeable difference.
"For so many years, people with developmental and intellectual challenges were told that they were never going to thrive," Sarah Hochbaum, a community living coordinator for Maryland Inclusive Housing said. "Now, they're proving everybody wrong."
Hochbaum helped connect Brian to his new apartment through Howard County's Moderate Income Housing Program. All the rest, she credits to Silvea.
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“This is all Brian. This is his goal and he accomplished it," she said.
It's not just having his own space, but also finding a good community to thrive in.
Silvea says he really enjoys the amenities at the apartment complex like the shared common space, pool and gym, where he sees many familiar faces.
"I love community, this community right here. I met a lot of people," Silvea said.
"Brian has been able to build a network of friends and acquaintances within the building, which is all was part of the hope," Duke said. "He's a very personable guy. He likes to be out and about and involved with the people, so it's been a real good fit for him."
MIH is celebrating its 5th anniversary later this year and has recently passed a milestone of 50 Marylanders placed in inclusive, affordable and accessible housing of their choosing.
The hope is, there will be many more success stories like Brian's for years to come.
